Life isn't always roses
by Domi-lady
Summary: Umm...I suck at summaries. Here goes...AU A troubled teen moves into the mansion ON PERMANENT HIATUS
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: You know who I don't own.  
  
AN : This is totally AU and some of the X-Men are slightly younger than usual and some strange friendships have been forged, don't worry I'm sure they can be explained somehow.I just don't know how. Oh and I've taken the liberty of stealing some ideas from X-Men Evolution but not too many so they can't sue me not that I have any money what-so-ever.  
  
I take no blame for whatever happens in this story it was the wolf dragon.  
  
Life isn't always roses. Lupine Draconis  
  
Prologue  
  
Aidan Kennedy wandered along the street expertly sidestepping and avoiding everyone that hurried past her, it was Christmas Eve and the streets of New York were filled with people getting those last minute presents and the last of the trimmings for the turkey dinner. They rushed past her not apologizing or even noticing when they bumped into her, but they would when they next went to take out their wallets Aidan smiled to herself as she decided to do some shopping of her own before heading for home. Hopefully everything would be finished when she got back so that all she would have to do was eat and go to bed, the adults always seemed to enjoy the holidays more than the kids anyway.  
  
It was quite late when she got back, she threw her coat and shopping bags on the floor and headed into the living room.  
  
"Dada, I'm back." She called out as she curled up into an armchair and picked up a book, noting that the decorations and tree were finished. "I got some stuff, not sure how much but at least it's something."  
  
Finley Kennedy wandered into the room and looked fondly at his youngest child, she was ten going on twenty. At a time when most parents are afraid to let their child out of their sight, let alone wander around New York alone, Finley was more worried abut what Aidan might do to the public.  
  
"Well, ye can just put that book down and come in here fuir ye dinner, alainna."  
  
It was some time later when Aidan fell into her bed, the pre-Christmas presents had been given and received and the Christmas Eve mass had been attended. She had walked back to the apartment leaning on her father, practically asleep in her feet but determined to make it like everyone else.  
  
The loud bang was what woke her, she would later claim that she had no idea why she woke up but at that moment she knew that she had heard a loud bang from somewhere in the apartment. She slipped out of bed and slowly opened the door, the hallway was silent but Aidan was positive she could hear someone breathing just at the end of it. She opened the door even wider and stole into the hallway.  
  
The darkness surrounded her like a cloak and she crept along to the end of the passage to peer around the corner. She could see a man standing over one of her brothers a gun trained on his face.  
  
"Tell me, Finley or he gets it too." The man's voice was low but had a dangerous edge to it. "Tell me where they put the keys."  
  
"I don' know. I told ye the Guildmaster's th' only one that knows that. He doesn't tell anyone else, not even me an' he's my cousin."  
  
The man growled long and low. "Not the right answer, Finley."  
  
Aidan saw his finger squeeze on the trigger and heard the bang and the bullet left the gun and entered her brother's head. The blood sprayed across the floor and up the wall behind his head and Aidan clenched her teeth against the urge to vomit.  
  
"I'll ask you again, Finley this is your last chance." The man turned his full attention to Finley now and held the gun aimed at his head. "What has he done with the keys?"  
  
"I don't know," Finley's voice was tired and empty.  
  
The man sighed and shook his head in mock sympathy. "Sorry Finley, if you'd been some sort of help then maybe you and your boys would be alive."  
  
Aidan turned and ran back to her bedroom as the bang echoed throughout the apartment, she grabbed her phone and climbed out of the window onto the fire escape. She had no idea what to do and dialed the first number that came into her head.  
  
The man came into her room looking for her as the line connected but Aidan said nothing as she sat frozen with fear, hoping that he wouldn't look out of the window and see her.  
  
She was still there when her uncle came to collect her four hours later. He had seen the bodies and sat with Aidan on the fire escape until they had been cleared away but Aidan still shied away from the last place that she had seen her father alive as they led her out of the door and into the waiting car. She would never have to go back her things would all be picked up for her if she wanted them. 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: You know who I don't own.  
  
AN : This is totally AU and some of the X-Men are slightly younger than usual and some strange friendships have been forged, don't worry I'm sure they can be explained somehow.I just don't know how. Oh and I've taken the liberty of stealing some ideas from X-Men Evolution but not too many so they can't sue me not that I have any money what-so-ever.  
  
I take no blame for whatever happens in this story it was the wolf dragon.  
  
Life isn't always roses. Lupine Draconis  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
6 years later.  
  
Aidan sat outside the office waiting for her uncle to emerge, it was a Friday afternoon ritual. The principal would ring up her uncle on the Wednesday to arrange the meeting for Friday, then after the last bell Aidan would wait in the hallway and her uncle would sit inside the principal's office and listen to what Aidan had been up to lately.  
  
The door opened and Aidan stood up, ready to leave but it was her principal standing in the doorway.  
  
"Aidan, please come inside."  
  
She had nothing to do but follow him into the office and sit in the chair beside her uncle as the principal sat in his own.  
  
"Now, I can see that we are getting nowhere with these little meetings every week, so Aidan why don't you tell us what is bothering you so much and we can try to solve the problem."  
  
"Easy, I don't want t' be here. The teachers aren't doing their jobs properly, the kids are unruly and to be honest I'd be better off being taught by a chimp."  
  
"I see." the principal sat back and eyes Aidan over steepled fingers. "So what would you change about the situation then?"  
  
"I'd leave, but no one'll let me." Aidan sat back and imitated the principal. "What would you do to change the situation?" she asked him back.  
  
The principal shot into an upright position and glared at her. "For a start I would teach you some manners young lady, secondly I would give you some discipline because you are obviously lacking that as well and thirdly I would bring back the cane if I could."  
  
By the time he had finished talking Aidan had jumped out of her chair and was leaning over the principal's desk, staring right into his face. "If you say one more derogatory thing about my family you'll regret it."  
  
"Get out!" the principal stood up himself and pointed toward the door. "And do not come back as of this moment you are expelled, Aidan Kennedy."  
  
Aidan followed her uncle out of the office, stopping in the doorway to smile sweetly at the principal.  
  
"Don't worry, I wasn't going to be here Monday anyway."  
  
Once they were in the car Aidan turned to look at her uncle.  
  
"I'm sorry uncle Patrick. I just hated it there."  
  
"It's all right, dote," Patrick Kennedy smiled down at his niece. "I'm sort of gettin' used to it."  
  
They sat in silence for a while before Patrick spoke. "I have been looking at a new school fuir ye, it's a bit of a way out an' ye'd have t' board but it might be what ye need."  
  
Aidan stared out of the window, watching the scenery flash past. "Ye don't want me t' stay with ye anymore?"  
  
"Of course not, dote, but this school may be just the thing to help with yuir other problem." He hesitated before continuing. "It's a school fuir gifted children."  
  
"Gifted children," Aidan repeated incredulously spinning her head around to look at him. "Ye want t' send me t' a school fuir mutants!"  
  
"It's not that bad, dote, the school's owner is coming over tomorrow t' see ye. I want ye t' be polite t' him and t' listen t' what he has t' say." He looked at his niece pleadingly. "Just give a chance b'fore condemning it, if ye really don' like what the man has t' say then it'll never be mentioned again, OK?"  
  
Aidan sank into the seat and stared out of the window again. "Fine, I'll listen and then think about it, but I still think it's just gonna be a waste of time."  
  
When the doorbell rung the next morning Aidan was surprised when she opened it and saw a man in a wheelchair flanked by a woman with red hair and a man wearing red sunglasses. They followed her into the living room and waited for her to start.  
  
Patrick had noticed the strange car outside the apartment block and hurried inside before Aidan could ruin her chances of getting into the school. He was surprised when he entered the living room finding everyone sitting in silence.  
  
The man in the wheelchair noticed him first and held out a hand.  
  
"You must be Aidan's guardian, I am Professor Charles Xavier the owner and Head Teacher of Xavier's school for gifted children." He pointed to his companions who were now seated on the sofa. "These are two of my oldest students, Jean Grey and Scott Summers."  
  
"Patrick Kennedy an' I see you've all met my niece Aidan." He sat down in an armchair and looked at Aidan. "Have ye told Aidan anything?"  
  
"No," Charles replied. "We thought it best if we waited for you to be here as well, so that if Aidan doesn't listen too well you can fill her in when she wants to hear about us." The last was said with a small smile on his face. "Not many people do want to join us to begin with, but they usually end up enjoying their stay with us."  
  
Patrick sat and listened to everything that Charles had to say, noting that Aidan sat on the window seat and paid little attention even when Jean tried to start a conversation with her. Eventually Charles finished talking and looked at Aidan briefly before turning back to Patrick.  
  
"Of course you both need time to think about this." Jean and Scott stood up and Scott took hold of Charles's wheelchair. "I will await your telephone call, goodbye Aidan." Charles wasn't surprised when Aidan merely looked at him before gazing out of the window again as Patrick showed them to the door. 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: You know who I don't own.  
  
AN : This is totally AU and some of the X-Men are slightly younger than usual and some strange friendships have been forged, don't worry I'm sure they can be explained somehow.I just don't know how. Oh and I've taken the liberty of stealing some ideas from X-Men Evolution and also from the movie but not too many so they can't sue me - not that I have any money what-so- ever.  
  
I take no blame for whatever happens in this story it was the wolf dragon.  
  
Life isn't always roses. Lupine Draconis  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
Aidan stood in the corridor and waited, it was like being in high school all over again only she had to stand now and the corridor was decorated in a Victorian print wallpaper above wood paneling. The carpet was a neutral color although try as she might Aidan could not figure out exactly what color it was.  
  
The door next to her opened and Patrick stuck his head around the doorframe.  
  
"Ye can come in now, dote."  
  
Aidan sighed and followed her uncle into Charles's office. Charles himself sat behind a large desk, a shortish man with dark hair stood behind him and an African woman with blue eyes was standing by the window overlooking the grounds.  
  
"Ah Aidan, allow me to introduce two of the teachers here at the Xavier Institute. This is Ororo Munroe who teachers science" he gestured to the African woman.  
  
Ororo smiled gently at Aidan. "I am glad that you chose to come to the Xavier Institute, Aidan. I hope that you will be very happy here with us."  
  
Aidan glanced up at her but said nothing as she quickly dropped her gaze back to the carpet, her eyes following the swirls as they changed shade from dark fire red right up to a dusky rose pink.  
  
"And this," Charles continued. "Is Logan our physical education instructor."  
  
Aidan looked up at Logan, meaning to glance down as quickly as she had with Ororo but something about him held her attention.  
  
"Welcome, kid," he growled through a wicked toothy grin.  
  
Aidan found that she couldn't help but return the grin with an equally evil one of her own, her amber eyes lit with a strange fire that Patrick had never seen before.  
  
Charles watched everything in silence choosing to keep his thoughts to himself for the time being. He leaned forward slightly and addressed Aidan again.  
  
"Ms. Munroe will show you to your room now, you should rest and freshen up before dinner." He turned to look at Patrick. "Do not worry, Mr. Kennedy, Aidan will be fine with us. She will be well looked after and you and your family can visit her any time."  
  
Patrick watched his niece follow the African woman out of the office and hoped that she had finally found a place that she could relax and feel safe in.  
  
* * * *  
  
Aidan stood in her new room and looked around, the largest piece of furniture was a wardrobe in which all her clothes now hung. The bed was flanked on each side by a small chest of drawers acting as a nightstand and finally a larger chest of drawers against the wall to the left of the wardrobe.  
  
Aidan sank onto the bed and wondered how this school was going to be any different to all the others she had been to in the last few years. Each high school she had attended had finally grown tired of the troublesome Irish girl who never seemed to fit in anywhere. She usually only lasted a few months before Patrick was called into the school and she quietly disappeared from the school halls. Her last high school had tolerated her for a longer than the others but had finally given up, it was hard to help someone that didn't talk to anyone even the other students.  
  
Aidan shook her head to banish the thoughts and started to unpack her last suitcase. She was just putting the last thing away when there was a knock on her door, expecting it to be Ororo Aidan carried on with what she was doing.  
  
"Come in," she called out, turning to look at the door.  
  
"Hi," a young girl about Aidan's age with dark hair stood in the doorway. "I'm Kitty, Katherine Pryde."  
  
Aidan blinked a few times before realizing that Kitty was staring at her.  
  
"Sorry, I'm Aidan. Ye wanna come in?"  
  
Kitty wandered in and perched on the bed. "Don't worry about being the new kid around here, sooner or later someone else will turn up. So what do you think of the institute so far?"  
  
"I haven't really had a chance t' see anything yet," Aidan sat down next to Kitty. "I've not long been here and the professor said to rest before dinner."  
  
Kitty's face broke into a friendly smile, "Did you have to travel far? I came from Chicago, my mom and dad decided this was the best place for me after my powers kicked in and I had like absolutely no control."  
  
"Only from New York," Aidan looked down at the floor. "My uncle sent me came here because my last.few high schools didn't quite work out."  
  
Kitty scrunched her pretty little face up in sympathy. "Too bad. So like what's your power? I can turn my body intangible and phase through any solid object."  
  
Aidan looked at Kitty and grinned. "mainly I heal real quick, but al of my senses are kinda well enhanced." She thought for a moment and then her grin grew wider. "And then there's."  
  
Aidan would have gone on but she was interrupted by a voice out in the hall.  
  
"Kitty.KITty.KITTY!"  
  
Kitty suddenly slapped the heel of her hand against her forehead. "Oh darn, I like totally forgot that I was getting my gym kit. Coming Mr. Logan." She stood up and looked back at Aidan. "Don't worry, I'll talk to him and see if I can skip this lesson, just to make sure you aren't lonely." She grinned as she walked through the closed door.  
  
Aidan stared after her and wondered if maybe she was making a small mistake, but she didn't have time to make a decision because Kitty came back through the door and smiled widely at her.  
  
"Mr. Logan said it's like totally cool if I stay with you." She shifted from foot to foot as she thought quickly about what to say next. "So you wanna like see the mansion and find out where everything is?"  
  
Aidan stood up and shrugged. "Sure, it might help when it comes to dinner at least then I'll know where I'm going."  
  
Kitty grinned again and led the way out of the room. 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: You know who I don't own.  
  
AN : This is totally AU and some of the X-Men are slightly younger than usual and some strange friendships have been forged, don't worry I'm sure they can be explained somehow.I just don't know how. Oh and I've taken the liberty of stealing some ideas from X-Men Evolution and also from the movie but not too many so they can't sue me - not that I have any money what-so- ever.  
  
I take no blame for whatever happens in this story it was the wolf dragon.  
  
Life isn't always roses. Lupine Draconis  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
Aidan had been at the institute for nearly three weeks, Kitty had been her constant companion and she had been introduced to the rest of the students that lived there. Jean had been extremely kind and Scott had more or less followed her lead, although he was more reserved than his girlfriend and seemed to disapprove every time Aidan did something that he didn't like.  
  
It was lunch time and Aidan was forgoing the usual bustle of all the students being fed, she had escaped to her room and was lying on her bed when she heard a knock on the door. Not even waiting for a response Kitty phased through the object and grinned at Aidan.  
  
"You've been missed." She said enigmatically as she sank onto Aidan's bed. "Bobby asked where you were." She added triumphantly. "I told you he liked you."  
  
Aidan sighed and shook her head gently. "Kitty, I swear if ye don't stop reading those trashy romances."  
  
Kitty tried to look hurt but her grin kept returning. "So what do I tell him?"  
  
"That I'd rather be alone than surrounded by testosterone and bitchiness." Aidan picked up a book and feigned reading until Kitty grew bored and left her alone.  
  
Aidan put the book down, suddenly hit by a wave of guilt for her behavior towards Kitty. It wasn't the younger girl's fault that she had no interest in any of the male students, they just weren't her type. Although Bobby was different to most of them, he definitely didn't think he was God's gift to women and he seemed to have less of an attitude than his friends.  
  
She was still contemplating when there was another knock on her door, when the person on the other side waited for an answer Aidan figured that it wasn't Kitty again.  
  
"Come in," she called out, slightly interested as to who it was.  
  
"I thought I'd bring you something to eat," Bobby's friendly grin made her smile. "We can't have you starving because of testosterone and bitchiness."  
  
Aidan chuckled and motioned for him to sit down. "Thanks, I jus' don't think that I'm ready fuir all these people yet. I'm still trying t' get used t' not being around my family."  
  
Bobby grimaced sympathetically. "Yeah, it's tough to begin with but everyone's.well, not really nice but.I guess you could call some of them bearable." He grinned again. "The ones you have to watch out for are the quiet ones, 'cos you never know when we're gonna suddenly jump up and show how much testosterone we have."  
  
Aidan laughed and shook her head. "Ye're impossible. So is everybody back from the trip now?"  
  
Bobby noticed the subject change but chose to say nothing. "Yeah, you've got some more people to meet and get used to. They're not too bad, but well you've met the best we have first so it's gonna be tough for them to live up to what you're used to."  
  
They sat talking until Bobby looked at his watch and they realized that they had two minutes to get to their next lesson. Aidan watched him hurry away before finding her books and thinking up a reasonable excuse that wasn't a lie, it was hard when you're teacher was a telepath.  
  
* * * *  
  
By the time that school hours were over all Aidan wanted to do was go back to her room and chill, but as always fate had decided something different for her.  
  
She was walking through the Institute, heading toward the stairs to go to her room when something very solid ran into her.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
Aidan looked up from where she sat on the floor and found herself looking up into red on black eyes.  
  
"Why don't ye look where ye're going?" she snapped as she stood up and dusted herself off.  
  
The teen in front of her looked suitably abashed, apart from a disarming charm-filled grin.  
  
"Remy sorry chere," his eyes flicked over her quickly. "But he was dazzled by your beauty."  
  
Aidan sighed and shook her head. "Save the sweet talk fuir someone that wants it."  
  
As she stalked off she heard him chuckle softly.  
  
Author's Note: Hey, sorry it's taken so long to get this up, problems with internet and al that. Also, sorry it's a tad short but I've kinda run out of creative juices (I've hit a writer's block). Next chapter will be (I hope) longer and posted slightly quicker. 


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: You know who I don't own.  
  
AN : If you've read the first three chapters then you'll know what's supposed to be here. I know I promised a longer chapter but this one just snuck in.  
  
I take no blame for whatever happens in this story it was the wolf dragon.  
  
Life isn't always roses. Lupine Draconis  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
Remy LeBeau hurried along the hall, if he was late again the professor was gonna kill him or expel him or something. He hadn't been at the Institute for very long and he still wasn't sure why the professor had offered him a place, but he wasn't the kind of person to turn down a warm place to stay and food when he needed it.  
  
He looked at his watch again and sped up, turning a corner he collided with something soft.  
  
"Sorry" Remy muttered before looking down at the floor, the teenager glaring up at him narrowed her golden eyes.  
  
"Why don't ye look where ye're going?" the girl snapped as she stood up, ignoring Remy's outstretched hand.  
  
Remy let his face fall into an apologetic mask, broken only by his trademark grin.  
  
"Remy sorry chere," he let his eyes flick over her, taking in her dark hair and lithe body. "But he was dazzled by your beauty."  
  
The girl sighed and shook her head. "Save the sweet talk fuir someone that wants it."  
  
Remy watched as she stalked off, her hips swinging slightly and her hair tumbling down her back to rest at her waist. He waited until she had gone up the stairs to the boarder's rooms before continuing on his way, he was gonna be really late now.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Aidan didn't relax until the door to her bedroom was slammed shut behind her and she had collapsed onto her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to expel her anger in one big, long sigh. She was suddenly confused; she didn't usually blow up at people that she didn't know especially not like that.  
  
She rolled over onto her side and stared at herself in the mirror, where did that guy get off talking about her beauty as if it were something that she should be proud of? She had spent a long time learning that you don't get through life relying on your looks, you had to have skill.  
  
A knock on the door broke her train of thought, she sat up just as Kitty phased through and grinned happily at her.  
  
"I've just seen Bobby, he's been like so totally floating after lunch." She sank onto the bed and looked at Aidan from beneath lowered lids. "Is it safe to say a good time was had by all?"  
  
Aidan smiled faintly. "Yes a good time was had, it was.nice."  
  
Kitty looked slightly puzzled. "Nice? Like spending time with a friend nice or it could lead to something more nice?"  
  
"Friends nice," Aidan lay down and stared at the ceiling. "Bobby's nice but he's more like the kid brother I never had."  
  
Kitty stared at her best friend, a smile blossomed over her sweet features and she clapped her hands.  
  
"Someone's caught you're eye," she squealed. "Who is it? Tell me, or I'm gonna be forced to guess."  
  
Aidan sighed and shook her head; she seemed to do this a lot around Kitty. "No one's caught my eye, although I did run into someone new."  
  
Kitty leaned forward, drinking in every word. "Well, who was it?"  
  
"I don't know really, the only thing I remember was his eyes. They were black with red pupils."  
  
Kitty giggled. "You've finally met our resident Casanova, Remy LeBeau, also known as gambit." She bit her bottom lip. "Bobby's not gonna happy, he always loses out to Remy."  
  
"He's not 'losing out' to anyone," Aidan grinned back. "Besides, there's no way I'd date accent boy. If I was gonna date anyone it'd be someone like Kurt, when he's grown up a bit." She giggled.  
  
Kitty opened her mouth to reply, but a knock on Aidan's door interrupted her. Aidan got up and opened the door; Ms. Munroe stood in the hallway.  
  
"Aidan, may I speak with you?" the African woman asked, her voice gentle yet commanding.  
  
"Uh, yeah come in." She stood aside and let the teacher enter. "Have I done something wrong?"  
  
Ororo shook her head, smiling gently. "Not at all, I just wondered how you are settling in." She looked at Kitty. "Kitty, shouldn't you be doing the homework that was due in yesterday?"  
  
Kitty started to sink through the floor. "Yes Ms. Munroe, sorry Ms. Munroe."  
  
"Now," Ororo settled into a chair and looked at Aidan. "Tell me how you are doing."  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: OK, so I had no idea what was gonna happen when I started writing this. Sorry it's taken so long but I've had terrible writer's block. With any luck the next chapter's gonna be posted quicker. 


	6. Chapter 5

Author's note:  
  
Sorry guys and gals. Writer's block is heavily upon me so I'm gonna have to leave my stories as they are for now. I'll try to finish them asap.promise.  
  
*huggles to all*  
  
LD 


End file.
